Scythe snath



.1811. 21, 1941. E. N. glRGE SCYTHE SNATH Filed Sept. 22, 1939 2Sheets-Sheet l JEZVeZZZ EZ- Jan. 21, 1941.

E. N.'BIRGE 2,229,362

sc f'ras swim Filed Sept. 22. 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 21,1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SCYTHE SNATH Application September 22,1939, Serial No. 296,025

7 Claims.

The invention relates to scythes and is especially concerned with themetallic fitting which is usually secured to the end of the snath orhandle to afford means for attaching the scythe blade to the snath. Oneobject of the invention is to provide a fitting which includes means foradjusting the plane of the scythe blade with respect to the axis'of thesnath so that the inclination of the blade may be varied to suit theindividual user.

Another object is to include the usual means for adjusting the blade inits own plane to vary the angle of the cutting edge with respect to thesnath axis. And it is also an object of the invention to provide meansfor tilting the blade bodily in a direction transverse to its own planewith the effect of adjusting the blade through a limited angle about theaxis of the snath or an axis adjacent thereto. It is also an object ofthe invention to provide a construction affording these variousadjustments which shall be comparatively simple and economical tomanufacture, and in which the adjustments can be efiected by the userwithout any special skill. The invention consists of certain featuresand elements of construction in combination, as herein shown anddescribed and as indicated by the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial side elevation showing a scythe blade and the endportion of a scythe snath towhich it is attached by means of a fittingembodying this invention.

' Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the same fitting but with'the toolturned at right angles to the position in which it appears in Fig. 1,and with a fragment of the blade itself indicated in dotted outline.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the parts shown in Fig. 2, taken at a planesubstantially at right angles to that of Fig. 2.

" Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken as indicated at line 4-4 on Fig.3.

Fig. 5 is a face view of the sleeve portion of the fitting with theadjustable saddle member removed.

v Fig. 6,is a side elevation similar to Fig. 3, showing a modifiedconstruction to afford an additional adjustment.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken as indicated at line l'! on Fig. 6.

50 Fig. 8 is a section similar to Fig. 7, but showing the saddle tiltedlaterally by the additional adjusting means.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 3, showing anothermodification. 55* Fig. 1 shows a conventional scythe blade I, having theusual tapered tang 2 secured to a snath or handle 3 by means of ametallic fitting which includes a clamping ring 4, by which the tang 2is bound against the fitting. In addition to the clamping ring 4, thefastening means embodying 5 this invention comprises two main parts,namely,

a sleeve member 5, which is secured fixedly over the end portion of thesnath 3, and a saddle member 6 on which the tang 2 of the scythe bladeis seated. For this purpose the saddle member in- 10 cludes a flatseating surface 1, which may be provided with a plurality of apertures 8to receive the bent terminal 9 of the tang 2, these apertures 8 beingvariously located in the seating surface 1 to permit the blade I to beadjusted 15 to different angular positions with respect to the axis ofthe end portion of the snath 3.

The sleeve member 5 is fitted snugly over theend portion of the woodensnath 3, and may include an end wall or cap II] which encloses the 20end grain of the snath and thus tends to preserve it againstdeterioration. The sleeve includes a pair of curved bearing surfaces H,H which are preferably toothed or corrugated for inter-engagement withcorrespondingly shaped side '25 flanges I2, l2 of the saddle member 6.These inter-fitted curved contours of the saddle member and its hearingsin the sleeve 5 permit the saddle to be shifted through a considerableangular range for varying the inclination of its seating 30 surface 1with respect to the axis of the sleeve 5, so that the plane of thescythe blade I may be shifted with respect to this axis in accordancewith the'judgment or preference of the particular user. At any positionin its range of adjustment 35 the saddle 6 is held fast by means of theclamping ring 4, which encompasses the sleeve 5, the saddle 6, and thetang 2 of the scythe blade in their assembled and adjusted relation. Thering 4 is shown provided with a pointed clamping screw 40 I [3; whichimpinges against the sleeve 5 at the side opposite the saddle 6 and;preferably, the sleeve is provided with one or more indentations l4 toreceive the pointed end of the screw l3, so that it shall not slip alongthe sleeve under pressure. One limit of the angular range of the saddle6 is indicated by the dotted outline of the blade at l in Fig. 3, inwhich the plane of the blade is substantially parallel to the axis ofthe end portion of the snath and of the sleeve 5.

To accommodate the curved bearing portions ll of the sleeve, the wood ofthe snath is cut away at both sides, leaving an upstanding middleportion [5, as seen in Fig. 4, but this middle portion also must betapered toward the end of the snath to provide for the angular range ofmovement of the saddle 6. Preferably, the end cap 10 is connected withthe cylindrical portion of the sleeve by a strap 16, overlying theupstand- 5 ing part [5 of the wood, as seen in Figs. 4: and 5. Thus theupper end portion It: of the strap [6 engages one end of the saddle 6 atone iimit of its adjustment, and the opposite end It acts as a stop toengage the saddle at the other limit 10 of its range.

It may be understood that the curved bearing surfaces ll of the sleeveand the curved edges ofthe flanges l2 might be made smooth instead oftoothed, but that the interlocking corrugations are deemed preferablefor maintaining the parts at the desired angle of adjustment. Or, if preferred, these contours could be made polygonal, with mutually engagingfaces each constituting a short chord of the generally curved contour.And it will also be evident that it is not essential that both thesleeve and the saddle have curved bearing elements; if one ofthesemembers is provided with a curved bearing surface, particularly aserrated surface, then the other member 6 need have only two-or moretooth-like bearing points to engage the surface and to be shifted alongit for adjusting the angle of the flat seating face to which the tang 2is clamped.

It may also be recognized that the curved bearing surface of the sleevemay be either concave or convex. Fig. 9 illustrates a design in whichthe sleeve 20 is provided with convexly rounded bearing surfaces 2|,while the saddle 22 is formed with flanges 23, having concave bearingsurfaces 24 supported on the convex bearings 2|. This i arrangementpermits the clamping screw 25 of the clamp ring 26 to impinge againstthe sleeve 20 at a point approximately in the axis of the curvedbearings 2|, so that the ring 26 may lie in a radial plane substantiallythroughout the range of angular adjustment of the saddle member 22. Thesnath 3 is fitted tightly in the sleeve 20, and with this design it isnot necessary to cut away quite so much of the wood of the snath as forthe structure shown in Figs, 1 to 5, since the bearing portions 2| maybe formed on flat bossessubstantially tangential with the outer surfaceof the sleeve 30, and it is only necessary to cut away a small portionof the snath to pro- 5 vide clearance for the saddle in its inclinedposition in which it is illustrated in Fig. 9. It is sometimes desirableto arrange for tilting the scythe blade in a direction transverse tothat in which its angular inclination takes place, as above described.As compared with a given position of the blade, such adjustment wouldhave the effect of tilting it so as to raise or lower the tip or pointof the blade with respect to the plane which it initially occupied.Figs. 6, 7 and 8 illustrate a construction for accomplishing such anadjustment in addition to the adjustable inclination afforded by thestructure of Figs. 1 to 5. For this supplemental adjustment there is nochange in the design of the sleeve 5 with its ar- 5 cuate and serratedbearing surfaces II, but the flanges 30 of the saddle member 3! areformed with threaded bosses 32, carrying adjustable set screws 33, whosepoints are positioned to engage in the serrations of the curved bearingsurfaces ll. Thus, with two such bearing points 33 at each side of thesaddle, it is effectively supported on the curved bearings II, and maybe shifted therealong by steps corresponding to the width of a singletooth or serration of the curved bearing. Then, for tilting the saddleand the scythe blade which it carries, it is only necessary to adjustthe set screws 33 at one side of the saddle so as to raise or lower thatside with respect to its curved bearing track II, as seen in Fig. 8. 5The clamping ring 4 and its adjusting screw l3 must provide sufficientrange for this tilting adjustment, and, since, preferably, the straightportion 4 of the ring should bear flatly against the tang 2, the ringwill be tilted or inclined, as indil0 cated in Fig. 8; accordingly, therecess or indentation I I in the lower side of the sleeve 5 should 7extend circumferentially a few degrees in the sleeve, as also seen inFig. 8. With this arrangement the initial positioning of the saddle mem-5 ber 3| is controlled by the upstanding middle portion l5 of the snathwhich results from cutting away portions of the latter to accommodatethe serrated curved bearing tracks H and, if desired, additionalguidance for the saddle may 20 be provided by short upstanding flanges Hat the inner edges of the tracks I 1. Thus the additional adjustment,permitting lateral tilting of the blade, is very simply accomplished,with a minimum of addition to the structure and with 5 very little extraexpense of manufacture.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structureembodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the artthat various modifications and re-arrangements of the 30 parts may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, andthat the same is not limited to the particular form herein shown anddescribed, except in so far as indicated by the appended claims. 35

I claim:

1. A scythe snath fitting formed with bearing means, a seating memberhaving an elongated seat to receive the tang of'a scythe blade, saidseat having a recess to receive the bent end of 40 the tang and theseating member being provided with cooperating bearing means, one ofsaid bearing means being of generally curved contour, the bearing meansbeing shiftable one upon the other to vary the inclination of the tangand blade to 5 the axis of the snath, and a single clamping meanssecuring the seating member at adjusted position and securing the tangon the seating member.

2. A scythe snath fitting formed with bearing 5 means, a seating memberhaving a face formed. to receive the tang of a scythe blade and providedwith cooperating bearing means, one of said bearing means being ofgenerally curved contour, the shifting of one bearing means upon the 55other operating to vary the inclination of the common plane of the tangand blade to the axis of the snath, said bearing means includinginterengaging projections and recesses to prevent one from slipping onthe other, and clamping means 60 holding said projections and recessesin engagement. v

3. A scythe snath fitting comprising'a sleeve secured to the end of thesnath and having curved bearing surfaces at both sides, a saddle member65 formed with a seating face to seat the tang of a scythe blade andhaving flanges supported on said curved bearing surfaces of the sleevewhereby the saddle may be shifted on said curved bearings for adjustablyinclining its seating face with respect to the axis of the sleeve, andclamping means securing the saddle in adjusted position on the curvedbearing surfaces of the sleeve.

4. A scythe snath fitting comprising a sleeve secured .to the end of thesnath and having ar- 75 cuate bearing surfaces at both sides, a saddlemember formed with a surface to seat the tang of a scythe blade andhaving flanges curved to fit upon said arcuate bearing surfacesrespectively,

whereby the saddle is inclinably adjustable with respect to the axis ofthe snath by shifting said flanges on their arcuate bearings, thebearings and flanges having inter-engaging serrations, and a clamp ringencompassing the sleeve, saddle and tang for binding them in adjustedposition.

5. A scythe snath fitting comprising a sleeve secured to the end of thesnath and having curved bearing surfaces at both sides, said bearingsbeing formed with transverse serrations, a saddle member formed with asurface to seat the tang of the scythe blade with adjustable toothedmembers by which said saddle is supported on said curved serratedbearings, the shifting of said saddle on its curved bearings serving toadjustably incline its seating surface with respect to the axis of thesleeve, and the adjustment of said toothed members at one side of thesaddle serving to tilt the saddle laterally and to correspondingly alterthe relation of the scythe blade to the snath, and clamping means formedto encompass said sleeve, saddle and tang for binding them in adjustedrelation.

6. A scythe snath fitting formed with bearing means, a seating memberhaving an elongated seat for the tang of a scythe blade, the seatingmember having bearing means cooperating with that of the fitting, one ofsaid bearing means being of generally curved contour and the bearingmeans being shiftable one upon the other to vary the inclination of thetang and blade to the axis of the snath, means for also adjustablytilting the seating member laterally, and clamping means formed toencompass the tang, the seating member and the snath for binding themtogether in adjusted relation.

7. A scythe snath fitting comprising a sleeve secured to the end of thesnath and having convexly curved bearing surfaces at both sides, asaddle member formed with a seating face to seat the tang of the scytheblade and having cooperating bearing means supported on said convexbearing surfaces of the sleeve whereby the saddle may be shifted on saidcurved bearings for adjustably inclining its seating face with respectto the axis of the sleeve, and clamping means securing the saddle inadjusted position on the convex bearing surfaces of the sleeve.

ERNEST N. BIRGE.

